Page:Daany Beédxe.djvu/279

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were tensed and spears and obsidian knives were held tightly.

When the siege was fully closed and knowing their numerical advantage, the hunters attacked with loud deadly screams. The explorers skillfully defended themselves, before reaching physical contact; accurate explorer arrows downed half of the attackers. The fight was quick and the four surviving attackers fled the site.

Awakened Jaguar reviewed his men; all were well, only three had superficial cuts and blows. He then gave the order to leave immediately; they knew the hunters would soon return soon seeking in revenge.

In the afternoon Awakened Jaguar gave the order that the eight team members moved away to the north without stopping; he and Night Eagle would wait for the hunters to attack them and delay them, giving them time to flee with the sick. There was a silence and the men told Awakened Jaguar that they considered it impossible to flee, and as they were going to die that evening anyway, they rather die fighting together. The group response was strong, not in contempt of an order, was the last will of a team, to receive death with dignity.

By mutual agreement they chose the site of their death, around a huge Ceiba, perhaps the largest in the forest. There they began to entrench themselves. When they were painting their faces in a ritual manner, each sang a farewell song. They could already hear the snails announcing the hunters, who followed their enemies trail. Finally, the explores said goodbye to one another and took their places to fight.

The afternoon was dying when the first hunters appeared, one by one, arrows were knocking them down. When a man is facing his impending death and he receives it with dignity and courage. Death

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